Treadle-motor.



' N0. 699,l7-l. Pate nted May 6, I902.

G. HULTZ. TBEADLE MOTUB.

(Application filed pct. 81, 1901.)

(No Model.)

wilhwooea m: uon'ms PETERS cov PuoTo-umm WASHINGTON. n. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

GUSTAV HOLTZ, OF J AMESBURG, NE\V JERSEY.

,lTREADLE-MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming art of Letters Patent No. 699,171, dated May 6, 1902; Application filed October 31, 1901. $erial No. 80,6 94. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAV HOLTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at J amesburg, in the county of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Treadle-Motor, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to a. novel manually-operated motor of that type known as foot-power machinesor treadle-motors.

The object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive treadle power by means of which any form of'light machineryas, for instance, apolishing-lathe or the likemay be operated continuously at high speed by slight intermittentexertion on the part of the operator.

To the accomplishment of this object the invention consists in connecting the fly-wheel or other driven element of the machine with the driving element or the motor or foot-power through the medium of clutch mechanism which will compel the synchronous rotation ofthe driving and driven elements in one direction, but which will permit their independent' movement in opposite directions, so that while the forward movement of the driving element under the impulse of the treadle will compel the rotation'therewith of thedriven element or fiy-wheel the reverse movement of the driving element'duringthe retraction of the treadle will be entirelyindependent of the driven element, which latter .will there-' fore continue to rotate under its own momentum until'again positively driven by the driving element as the treadle is depressed.

Theinvention consists, further and more particularly, in a novel form of connection between the treadle and the driving element, said connection comprehending a single flexible pieceor strap doubled upon itself to form two strands, each of which is wound upon the drum or hub of the driven element and has its opposite ends connected to a retractingspring and the treadle, respectively, these connections being preferably formed by passing the doubled portion of the piece through a loop at the end of the retracting-spring and by adj ustably securing the ends of the strands to the treadle by means of a clamp.

To the accomplishment of the stated objects and others subordinate thereto the invention also comprehends in itspreferred embodiment certain other details of construction and arrangement, to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and succinctly defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is l a perspective view of a dental lathe equipped with a treadle motor constructed and arranged in accordancewithmy invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse'seotion' showing certain of the parts comprehended by my invention in plan. Fig; 3 'is a sectional elevation of the subjectmatter shown in Fig. 2, the depressed position of the treadle being indicated in dotted lines.

Fig t is a detail sectional-view of thejstrapclamp. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view showing the two clutch members in juxtaposition. I

Like numerals of reference are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

I a The framel, having its opposite ends connected-as, for instance, by the tie-rods 2 and 3, extending between the front feet 4 and the rear feet 5-is surmounted by a table 6, carrying the tool to be operated, which in the present illnstrationis a polishing-lathe head 7. The construction and operation of the head 7 need not be explainedin detail, as it constitutes no part of; my present invention. It may be noted,however, that this head com- 5preh'ends as an element thereof a small bandwheel 8, over which is passed a band 9, constituting the gearing between the head and the power or fly wheel10,:located at a point below the treadle. Thisfiy-wheel 10 by reason of its relation to the motor will be here-' inafter termed the driven element, and as a preferred construction said wheel is fixed upon a horizontal shaft 11, provided'with suitable bearings at its opposite ends in the opposite side members of the frame 1 and at a point adjacent to the bottom thereof.

The driving element 12, constituting the motion-t ransmittin g member jof thefo otfpower or treadle-motor, comprises an elongated-hub, sleeve, or drum 13,revolubly mou'ntedon the shaft 11, and a clutch-disk 14, fixed to and preferably integral with one end of the sleeve 13 and opposed to a similar clutch-disk 15,

constituting a part of the wheel 10. These clutch-disks constitute the primary elements of a clutch mechanism, the disk 14 being provided in its face with tapering pockets 14, having inclined bottom walls, as shown, and designed for the reception of clutch-balls 10, which work against the plane flat face 15 of the clutch member 15, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings.

It will be obvious that when the clutch-disk 14 is rotated in the direct-ion of the arrow in Fig. 3 the balls will be wedged tightly between the two disks 14 and 15 by reason of the inclination of the bottom walls of the pockets, and an operative connection will therefore be effected between the driving element 12 and the wheel 10. It will be equally obvious that when the disk 14 is given a backward rotation in a manner to be hereinafter described the balls will seek the deep ends of the pockets and will therefore roll idly against the plane flat face 15" of the clutch-disk 15, and the disconnection of the driving element 12 from the wheel 10 will therefore be effected.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the shaft 11 is disposed in a vertical plane midway between the tie-rods 2 and 3, this relation of the parts being admirably adapted to permit the rear tie-rod 3 to be utilized as the fulcrum of a treadle 17, disposed below the shaft and provided at a point in advance thereof with a terminal footpiece 18, upon which the foot of the operator is placed to effect the depression of the treadle. At its rear end the treadle 17 is forked or bifurcated, and the ends of the bifurcations are apertured for the reception of the tie-rod 3, which, as already stated, supports the treadle for operation.

Secured to the rod 3 and preferably Within the forked end of the treadle is a treadle-retracting spring 19, which in the present instance is of spiral form and is provided with a terminal ring or eye 20. The connection between the treadle and the driving element is effected by means of a single flexible piece or strap 21, which is passed through the ring 20 and doubled upon itself to define a pair of strands 22 and 23. These strands of the flexible piece or strap 21 are carried over and around the sleeve or drum 13 and are preferably wound thereon in an identical manner, so that the front and rear portions of the strands-that is to say, those portions lying in front and in rear of the sleevewill be disposed in alternating arrangement. This winding of the strap upon the sleeve or drum of the driving member insures an operative frictional connection therewith. The ends of the strands 22 and 23 after being wound around the drum in the manner stated are adjustably connected to the treadle, preferably adjacent to the footpiece 18, by means of a clamp 24, comprising a plate 25, adjustably retained by a screw 26, passed through the center of the plate 25 and into the treadle, which latter may be provided, as shown, with a pair of oppositely-extending lugs 27, upon which the strand ends are imposed and which in'connection with the plate 25 constitute the strap-retaining clamp.

If new it is desired to operate the polishing-lathe head or any other light machinery at a high rate of speed,itis simply necessary to operate the treadle, the depression of which will effect the rotation of the driving member in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3 by reason of the fact that the front ends of the strands will be unwound from the drum,while the rear ends thereof are wound. upon the drum in opposition to the resistance of the retracting-spring 19. This depression of the treadle will consequently rotate the driving member of the motor in a direction to impart motion to the wheel 10, and thus drive the tool, and will be accompanied by a proportionate extension of the retracting-spring, which when the treadle is relieved of the pressure of the operators foot will effect the retraction of the treadle. During this retractile movement the direction of the rotation of the driving member will of course be reversed, and the treadle will be retracted to its initial position; but as the relative movements of the driving and driven elements will now be in opposite directions the clutch mechanism will remain inactive, and the continued rotation of the wheel 10 under the impetus gained will not be interfered with during the retraction of the treadle. Obviously, therefore, the equipment of light machinery with my novel foot-power or motor will en able the former to be operated continuously in one direction and at a high rate of speed by comparatively slight exertion intermittently applied to effect the oscillation of the treadle.

It is thought that from the foregoing the construction and operation of my device will be clearly apparent; but while the present embodiment thereof is believed at this time to be preferable I wish to reserve the right to effect such changes, modifications, and variations of the illustrated structure as may be suggested by experience and experiment and embraced within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is- 1. In a device of the character described, the combination with the driving and driven members, and intermediate clutch mechanism, of a treadle disposed below the driving member and fulcrumed at its rear end, a re tracting-spring provided with an eye at one end, a single strand passed through the eye of the retracting-spring and doubled upon itself, the two strands thus formed being wound upon thedriving member in the same direction, and a clamp mounted upon the treadle and adjustably retaining the extremities of said strand.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with the driving and driven members, and intermediate clutch mechanism, of a treadle disposed below the driving member and fulcrumed at its rear end with its front'end located in advance of the driving member, a retracting-spring secured directly beyond the rear end of the treadle and provided with an eye at one end, a single strand passed through the eye of the retracting-spring and doubled upon itself, the two strands thus formed being wound upon the driving member in the same direction, and a clamp mounted on the treadle in advance of the driving member and adjustably retain ing the extremities of the flexible piece.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a frame comprehending a transverse tie-rod, coaxial driving and driven members, and intermediate clutch mechanism, of a treadle disposed below the driving member and having a forked rear end fulcrumed upon the tie-rod, a retractingspring secured at one end to the tie-rod within the fork of the treadle and having an eye at its opposite end, a single flexible piece passed through the eye of the spring and doubled upon itself, the double strand being wound upon the driving member, and a clamp carriedby the treadle in advance of the driving member and adj ustably retaining the extremities of the flexiblepiece the flat annular face of the first-n amed clutchdisk, a treadle-disposed below the driven member, a spring located at the rear end of the treadle, and a single flexible piece doubled upon itself and wound as a double strand upon the driving member, the doubled end of saidpiece being secured to the spring 45 and the extremities of said piece having attachment to the treadle adjacent to the front end thereof.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing. as

my own Ihave-hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GUSTAV HOLTZ,

Witnesses:

O. ULBRICH, J. GRANZ. 

